How to Eat?

Please note that the following are personal notes from my readings. None of it should be viewed as medical advice. Please always consult with your physicians to determine what decisions are best for you and your family.

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Infants and Toddlers

I do not recommend rice milks for infants and toddlers. The rice-based milks are too sweet and too low in protein and fat. Instead, you can supplement breast milk with a mixture of soy milk, water, almonds, sunflower seeds, and a very small amount of dates for sweetener, and this mixture can be utilized as a drink to supplement the formula-fed baby during the twelve- to eighteen- month priod as formula is gradually phased out.

Babies under the age of two need adequate fat in their diet. As the volume of breast milk decreases in quantity after 9 to 12 months, add avocados, tofu, and nut butters (not cheese and butter) to assure they meet their fat requirements.

If the child cannot be breast-fed until at least the age of two, I recommend that between twelve and eighteen months a DHA-supplemented cow’s milk formula be utilized. A DHA-supplemented soy milk formula may be substituted for the cow’s milk-based formula, but the cow’s milk-based formula is preferred, as it contains significantly less aluminum compared to soy-based formulas. Then, after eighteen months, it can slowly be decreased as a mixture of soy and nut milk (and even cow’s milk) can be used.

Organic food is certainly your best bet, to further limit exposure to toxic chemicals. No one knows for sure how much risk exists from the pesticide residue on produce, but here’s what we do know: the younger you are, the more your cells are susceptible to damage from toxins. It seems wise to try to feed our young children organic food whenever possible.

Of course, wash your vegetables and fruit with water and when possible, use a drop of dishwashing detergent and then rinse well to remove all detergent residues for a little more efficient cleaning. Specialty pesticide removal products have not clearly demonstrated any more effectiveness than mild soap and water.

Besides the heightened exposure to chemicals and pesticides from animal products, the most hazardous pesticides are used on some plant foods responsible for the majority of the plant-food-related dietary risk. These foods with the most pesticide residue are: strawberries, peaches, raspberries, blackberries, grapes, cherries, apples, and celery. Imported produce is also more likely to contain higher levels of pesticides.

Lessen Your Exposure To Pesticides

After peeling and discarding the skin of bananas, mangoes, oranges, pineapples, and melons, wash your hands with soap before touching, serving, or eating them

Peel and discard skin of potatoes and carrots, unless organic

Peel cucumbers, apples, peaches, and pears, unless organic

Remove and discard outer leaves of cabbage and lettuce

Trim all fat and skin from poultry or other animal foods

Avoid eating fruits imported from other countries, unless they have skins that can be removed and discarded

Do not eat nonorganic strawberries or feed them to children. Use frozen organic when fresh organic are not available or too expensive

Organic Food Usually Has More Nutrients Than Conventional

One study performed at the University of California at Davis found that foods grown organically had higher amounts of flavonoids, which have protective effects against both heart disease and cancer. The researchers found that flavonoids were more than 50% higher in organic corn and strawberries. They theorized that when the plants are forced to deal with the stress of insects, they produce more of these compounds, which are beneficial to humans.